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Pre G F R EIDER IC U 



THE 



Practical Memory System. 



BY 
PROF. G. FREDERIC LESTER. 

Oct. i, 1887. 



BOSTON: 
PRESS OF L. BARTA & CO. 



PREFACE. 



I don't claim that I have invented an 
entirely new system for cultivating and 
improving the memory, only that I am teach- 
ing a modern system based upon natural 
principles ; the association of ideas. 

Of all the intellectual powers with which 
man is endowed, there is none the cultivation 
of which is more important than that of 
memory, and, by a happy coincidence, there 
is none more susceptible of cultivation and 
improvement. Valuable aids to memory 
were in use long before the Christian era, 
and numerous attempts have since been 
made to simplify and render them generally 
available; but, being so cumbrous and 
indefinite a nature, were pronounced value- 
less. It is for this reason that a vague 

3 



notion seems to exist that any system of 
memory must be extremely difficult to master. 

Dr. Watts, in his " Essay on the Improve- 
ment of the Mind," speaks strongly on any- 
thing which may assist the mind in a question 
of knowledge, and alludes in highest terms 
to the systematic training of the memory. 

I am going to follow and guide you 
through this system till you are familiar 
with it. I do not propose to enter into any 
details as historical or scientific facts, but 
make it concise as possible. The following 
pages are arranged to instruct the pupil 
rather than to fill them with flourishing 
language and obscure expressions. I have 
undertaken to place the subject within the 
reach of all classes, that it may be interest- 
ing as well as instructive and beneficial. 

If our memory is able to retain important 
details, our business capacity will be in- 
creased proportionately. 

Any one familiar with shorthand will find 
the system easy to master, and, in fact, the 



5 

system will be a valuable aid in the study of 
shorthand. By its aid any one of average 
ability and intellect may compete with those 
highly talented by carrying out this method, 
which in time so strengthens the memory 
that the system is no longer required. The 
gaining of this power is not a tedious process, 
at variance with the natural working of the 
mind, but its acquirement is certified as 
easy and pleasant. A fair trial of the 
process will convince you of its value. 

Boston, Oct. i, 1887. G. F. L. 



LESSON ONE. 



We will now commence to master the 
system. 

All the sounds of the letters of the alpha- 
bet represent figures, except the vowels a, e, 
i, o, u, and w, h, and y, and can be used for 
figures to an unlimited extent. 

Figures, when standing alone, represent 
nothing unless they are used as numerators 
of objects. 

It is very difficult to remember a large 
number of figures. How can we get oyer 
this difficulty ? 

Any amount of figures can be retained by 
expressing them by words or familiar phrases. 
The resemblance between the letters and 
figures will aid us to a great extent in the 
remembrance of them. 

The following sounds represent the figures 
i to the o : — 



T or D 


j 


N 




M 


= 3 
= 4 
= 5 


R 


L 


The sound of 


SH in SHop 




CH in CHurch 




T in Tames 


1 — 6 


G in George 




TCHinwATCH 




DGEinwEDGE 








K in King 




Q in Queen 




G in God 


y = 7 


C in Crown 




INGinKlNG 




V or F or any similar sound as 


) 


PH in PHilip 1 


y = 8 


GH in couGH \ 


> 


P OR B 


= 9 




C in Cipher 




S in Sign 


>■ = o 


Z in Zero 




T may easily be remembered as one, as 


it has 


one stroke, T. 





n may easily be remembered as two, as it has 

two strokes, n. 
m may easily be remembered as three, as it has 

three strokes, m. 
R is the last letter in the word Four. 
L Roman numeration is 50, Five. 
The sounds of CH, SH, and G, Six. 
Guttural sound, Eight. 
P or B stands for Penny Bank with 9c. in it, 

Nine. 
o we hiss any one who is good for o, Naught. 

We go by sound and not by spelling. The 
pupil must now practise the sounds in the 
following words : — 

Knowledge . . . N L DGE . . . 216 

Knight NT 21 

Knife N F 25 

Phonetic .... 

Lamp 

Chair 

Picture 

Cushion 

Window 

No letter is of any numerical value 
unless it can be distinctly heard. The T 
in waTCH is not distinct, and therefore the 
TCH is taken as one sound and represents 6. 



10 



The following table are words called links, 
pegs, or prompters. The value of them will 
be seen in the following lessons. Figures 
from i to ioo are represented by words. 
The rule for representing figures by words 
once understood will enable you to remember 
any number of figures. 



i hat. 

2 honey. 

3 home. 

4 hero. 

5 hill. 

6 hash. 

7 hack. 

8 hoof. 

9 hip. 
io woods. 
ii tide. 

12 tin. 

13 tomb. 

14 deer. 

15 dale. 

16 dish. 

17 deck. 

18 dove. 

19 top. 

20 news. 

21 wind. 



26 inch. 

27 ink. 

28 knife. 

29 knap. 

30 mouse. 

31 Meat. 

32 Man. 

33 Mummy 

34 mire. 

35 mil1 - 

36 match. 

37 mug. 

38 muff. 

39 ma P- 

40 horse. 

41 Road. 

42 rain. 

43 room. 

44 warrior. 

45 rail. 

46 Irish. 



51 lady. 

52 lawn. 

53 elm. 

54 lawyer. 

55 m y- 

56 lash. 

57 elk - 
.58 loaf. 

59 H P- 

60 cheese. 

61 shed. 

62 chain. 

63 gem. 

64 cherry. 

65 jelly. 

66 judge. 

67 cheek. 

68 chaff. 

69 ship. 

70 kiss. 

71 cat. 



76 cage. 

77 ke g- 

78 calf. 

79 cab. 

80 face. 

81 foot. 

82 fan. 

83 foam. 

84 fur. 

85 fowl. 

86 fish. 

87 fig. 

88 fife. 

89 fibe. 

90 posy. 

91 pad. 

92 pin. 

93 poem. 

94 lower. 

95 bell. 

96 bush. 



II 



22 nun. 47 rock. 72 gun. 97 bug. 

23 name. 48 roof. 73 game. 98 beef. 

24 Norway. 49 harp. 74 core. 99 bib. 

25 nail. 50 lass. 75 gale. 100 doses. 

This table should be so well committed to 
memory, that you will be able to mention the 
corresponding word when the figure is given, 
and figure when the word is given. Commit 
to memory the following words : — 

1 campaign. 9 physician. 

2 industry. 10 ship. 

3 liberty. n hotel. 

4 child. 12 store. 

5 book. 13 flowers. 

6 babel. 14 guide. 

7 train. i 5 dew. 

8 carriage. 

Associate the word to be remembered with 
the prompter. An intermediate association 
will be very convenient sometimes. 

First prompter is Hat. First word is Campaign. 

1 Hat suggests CAMPAIGN Hat. 

2 Honey suggests Bees, and bees suggest 

INDUSTRY. 

3 Home— Country. Country — IIBERTY. 

4 Hero— Rescue. Rescue— C#/ZZ>. 



12 

5 Hill — Geography. Geography — Study. 

Study— BOOK. 

6 Hash — Clatter. Clatter — Confusion. 

Confusion-Tongues. Tongues-^? ABEL. 

7 Hack — Hurry. Hurry — TRAIN. 

8 Hoof— Horse. Horse— CARRIAGE. 

9 Hip— Disease. Disease— PHYSICIAN. 
io Woods — Trees. Trees — Bark. Bark — 

SHIP. 
ii Tide — Seashore. Seashore — HOTEL. 

12 Tin — Kitchen Utensils. Kitchen Uten- 

sils— STORE. 

13 Tomb — Decorated. Decorated — FLOW- 

ERS. 

14 Deer — Hunter. Hunter — GUIDE. 

15 Dale— Wet. Wet— DEW. 



13 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE REMEMBRANCE OF 
CHRONOLOGY. 

For all the Tables of Modern Chronology, 
including European and American History, 
Modern and American Battles since 1200, we 
find it convenient, in many cases, to have the 
link or association represent three figures 
only, and complete the date by prefixing a 
figure 1 to the translation. 

EXAMPLE. 

Captain Kidd commenced his piracies . . 1698 
Kid and Leather. Leather and Shipper . 

6 9 8 

Shipper and ShiP oFF. 

By some attention to chronology, the 
learner will readily perceive which general 
period, ancient, middle age, or modern, an 
event belongs to, and thus know whether 
the figure 1 is to be prefixed or not. Prefix- 
ing 1 adds 1000 years to the translation. 
We shall not often make a mistake of 1000 
years by supplying the figure in ancient or 
middle age chronology, or by omitting it in 
modern events. In many cases a desirable 
word will express them all. 

I will give you an idea of the process by 



14 

giving you a few examples, and leave the rest 
for the study of the pupil. You can readily 
see how one word suggests the other ; it may 
mean the same, or it may mean just the 
opposite. Words that are opposite to each 
other are easily remembered as Sweet-Sour. 
Steamer-Raft. The association of ideas is 
the mainspring of memory. 

We take the same process in the remem- 
brance of astronomical statistics, historical 
events both modern and ancient, latitudes 
and longitudes of places, heights of moun- 
tains, lengths of rivers, mythology, etc. 



i5 



REMEMBRANCE OF AMERICAN BATTLES. 

Example. — Quebec, 1759. Quebec suggests 
War, and War suggests Scalp, which gives us the 

7 5 9 

date, SCaLP. The 1000 will be understood. 
The S before the word will not change the 
numerical value. 

Rule. — Translate the figures into a word, and 
use intermediate associations till the last associa- 
tion is suggestive of the date word. 

LexingTON, 1775. Ton and Coal. Coal — 

Fire. Fire — Heat Enough to. Heat 

77 5 
Enough to — C00K ALL. 

Bunker Hill, 1775. Bunker Hill — American. 

American — Victory. Victory — Pleased. 

7 75 
Pleased — CacKLe. (Cackle meaning that the 

Americans won the victory and were joyous.) 
FLaT Bush, 1776. Bush — Berries. Berries 

7 7 6 

— Glutton. Glutton — HoGGisH. 
Tippecanoe, 181 1. Canoe — Indian. Indian — 
Skin. Skin— FaDeD. 



i6 



OTHER BATTLES FOR PRACTICE OF PUPILS. 



Queenstown . . 

Frenchtown . . 
Sackets Harbor 

Lake Erie . . . 
Thames .... 

Chippewa . . . 

Bridgewater . . . 

Bladensburg . . 

Lake Champlain . 

Plattsburg . . . 

Baltimore . . . 

New Orleans . . 

San Jacinto . . . 

Palo Alto . . . 
Resaca de la Palmer 

Monterey . . . 

Buena Vista . . 

Sacramento . . . 

Vera Cruz . . . 

Cerro Gordo . . 

Churubusco . . . 

Chepultepec . . . 

Mexico taken . . 



812 

813 

813 
813 

813 
814 
814 
814 
814 
814 
814 

815 
836 
846 
846 
846 
847 
847 
847 
847 
847 
847 
847 



These will be found a great aid in history. 



i7 



DISCOVERIES, IMPROVEMENTS, AND INVEN- 
TIONS. 



Gold first coined in modern times 



1320 
Mines 



• 1340 
Smears 



Gold — Mine. Goldmines . . 
Painting in oil first practised . . 
Paint — Brush. Brush — Smears . 
Bible first translated into English 
Bible — Catholic. Catholic — Pope. Pope 

— Prosperity. Prosperity — Smash up 

Smash up 
Playing Cards invented for the amusement 

of the Fr. King 1390 

Playing Cards — Gamble. Gamble — Lose. 

Lose Mopes 

Printing invented by Faust, German . . 441 
Printing and Olden times. Olden times 

-=~** 4 4 1 

and printing. Printing and rarity . RaRiTy 
Engraving on copper invented by Finni- 

guerre, It 145 1 

Engrave and Tool. Tool and Trail. Trail 

and Trailed TRaiLeD 

Engraving on wood invented 1460 

Wood and Forest. Forest — Owner. 

4 6 

Owner — RicHeS. 
Post-offices first established in Europe, 

France ^64 

Post-office — Letter. Letter . TReaSuRe 



18 

A.D. 

Paper first made of cotton rags .... iooo 
Colleges first established in Europe, at 

Paris 12 15 

College — Steeple, Steeple — Point, Point — 

2 16 

Needle. 

Glass windows first used in England . . 1180 

Tin mines discovered in Germany . . . 1241 

Windmills invented 1299 

Gold first coined in modern times . . . 1320 

Leaden pipes for conveying water, invented 1236 

Chimneys first used in England . . . . 1200 

Cannons first made by the French . . . 1340 
Copper money first used in Scotland and 

Ireland 1340 

Painting in oil first practised 1340 

Patent rights first granted to inventors in 

England 1344 

Playing cards invented for the amusement 

of the French king 1390 

Paper first made of linen rags . . . . 141 7 

Printing invented by Faust, Ger. . . . 1441 

Musical notes as now used, invented . . 1333 
Coal first discovered in England, near 

Newcastle 1234 

Mirrors and magnifying glasses invented 

by R. Bacon, England 1260 

Spectacles first invented by R. Bacon . . 1280 
Gunpowder first made by Schwartz, Hol- 
land 1320 



19 

Muskets invented and first used in Eng- 
land 142 1 

Pumps invented 1425 

Engraving on wood invented 1460 

Post-office first established in Europe, at 

Paris 1464 

Printing introduced in England .... 1474 

Diamonds first cut and polished .... 1489 

Gunlocks invented 1517 

Soap first made in London 1524 

Pins first used in England ..*... 1543 

Tobacco first introduced in Europe . . . 1560 
Astronomical observatory first built in 

Europe 1562 

Newspapers first published in Europe . . 1562 

Lotteries first drawn in England . . . . 1569 
Tea first introduced in Europe from China 

by the Dutch 1601 

Thermometer invented 1610 

Shoe-buckles first made 1630 

Barometer invented 1643 

Air guns invented 1646 

Pendulum clocks invented 1649 

Bread first made with yeast by the English 1650 

Fire engine invented 1663 

Diving-bell invented 1683 

Banks first established in England . . . 1694 
Newspaper first published in United 

States, at Boston 1704 



20 



Post-office first established in United 

States, at New York . . . 1710 

Diamond mines of Brazil discovered . . 1730 

Chain bridges first constructed . . . . 1741 

Banknotes first issued 1745 

Handkerchiefs first made at Paisley, Scot- 
land 1748 

China ware first made in England . . . 1752 
Identity of lightning and electricity dis- 
covered by Franklin 1752 

Lightning rods invented by Franklin . . 1770 

Argand lamp invented 1780 

Banks first established in United States . 1781 
Sunday schools first established in Eng- 
land by R. Raikes 1784 

Railroads first built in England . . . . 1791 

Cotton gin invented by Whitney .... 1794 

Vaccination first practised by Jenner . . 1796 

Lithography invented 1800 

Lifeboats invented 1802 

Kaleidescope invented at Edinburgh . . 18 14 

Musical boxes first invented 18 17 

Gas first used for lighting streets in United 

States 182 1 

Stomach pump invented 1828 

Gun cotton first made 1846 

Steel pens first made 1803 

Potatoes first cultivated in the United 

States 1 7 19 



21 



Thread first made in Great Britain . . . 1722 
Quadrant invented by Thomas Godfrey, 

American 1740 

Rice introduced in the United States . . 1695 

Telegraph first invented 1694 

Breeches first introduced in England . . 1654 
City streets first lighted in modem Europe ; 

Paris 1522 

Turkeys introduced in England from Mex- 
ico 1520 

Camera obscura invented 15 15 



22 



AMERICAN HISTORICAL EVENTS. 

Peru discovered by Perez de la Rua, Span. 15 15 
Mexico conquered by the Spaniards, under 

Cortez 1521 

Peru conquered by the Spaniards, under 

Pizarro 1532 

Lima in Peru founded by Pizarro . . . 1534 
Amazon River discovered by Francisco 

Oreleana 1541 

Mississippi River discovered by Hernando 

de Soto 1541 

Silver Mines of Potosi first discovered by 

an Indian 1545 

Brazil settled by the Portugese . . . . 1549 
Florida first settled by the Spaniards at 

St. Augustine 1565 

Painting introduced into Mexico . . . 1569 
Hudson's River and Bay discovered by 

Henrich Hudson 16 10 

Tobacco first cultivated in the United 

States in Virginia 1616 

Slaves first brought to the United States 

by the Dutch 1620 

Harvard University (first college in the 

United States) founded 1638 

Sugar cane first cultivated in the West 

Indies 1641 



23 

New England colonies formed a confedera- 
tion 1643 

New York surrendered by the Dutch to 

the English . 1664 

King Phillip's war commenced .... 1675 

Rebellion in Virginia, headed by Nathaniel 

Bacon 1676 

Philadelphia founded by Wm. Penn . . 1682 

Mississippi River first navigated by La 

Salle 1683 

Charter of Connecticut hid in an oak tree 

at Hartford 1687 

Schenectady destroyed by the French and 

Indians 1690 

Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies 

united 1692 

Witchcraft superstition prevailed in New 

England 1692 

Yale College founded in New Haven . . 1693 



24 

AMERICAN CHRONOLOGY. 

Massachusetts deprived of her charter by 

Sir E. Andross . . 1684 

Charter — Charcoal. Charcoal— Fire. 

8 4 

Fire — Warmth. Warmth — ShiVeR. 

Shiver is just opposite to warmth. 
The American Continent discovered by 

the Northmen 1001 

America discovered by Columbus . . . 1492 
St. Lawrence River discovered by the 

French 1508 

Florida discovered by Ponce de Leon . . 15 12 
Pacific Ocean discovered by Balboa . . 15 13 
Jamestown in Virginia settled; the first 

permanent English settlement in the 

United States 1607 

Canada first settled by the French . . 1608 
Pocahontas, an Indian princess, married 

Rolfe, Eng 1612 

New York City founded by the Dutch . 16 14 
Plymouth settled. The first settlement in 

New England 1620 

Boston settled by a colony under Black- 
stone 1630 

Printing-press first established in the 

United States, at Cambridge .... 1639 
Tea first used in the United States . . . 1720 
Bible first printed in the United States . 1752 



25 

Philadelphia Med. School (first in the 

United States) founded 1764 

Boston Massacre 1770 

Paper currency first established in the 

United States 1775 

Declaration of Independence of the United 

States, July 4 1776 

Bank of No. America (first bank of United 

States) instituted 1781 

War ship first built in the United States, 

at Portsmouth 1782 

Death of Thomas Jefferson and John 

Adams, July 4 1826 

Jackson inaugurated president, March 4 . 1829 
Venezuela declared independent . . . 1829 
Spanish army invaded Mexico and surren- 
dered at Tampico 1829 

Mount Auburn Cemetery, near Boston, 

dedicated 183 1 

Death of Charles Carroll, the last surviv- 
ing signer of the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence 1832 

South Carolina passes the Nullification 

Act • 1832 

Black Hawk war commenced 1832 

Cholera breaks out at New York, June 27 1832 

Texas declared independent 1835 

Florida war commenced 1835 



26 



Banks in United States suspended specie 
payments 1837 

Caroline steamer burned at Schlosser, and 

the crew murdered by the Canadians . 1837 

United States Ex. Expedition under Com. 

Wilkes sailed 1838 

President Steamer lost on the Atlantic, 

March 1841 

Insurrection in Rhode Island in favor of a 

new constitution 184.2 

Treaty of commerce with China, made by 

Caleb Cushing 1844 

Philadelphia riots between Americans and 

Irish 1844 

Postage reduced to five and ten cents in 

United States 1845 

Texas annexed to United States . . . 1845 

Death of General Jackson, at the age of 

seventy-eight, June 8 1845 

United States declared war against Mexico 1846 

Mexicans, 20,000 strong, under Santa 
Anna, at Buena Vista, defeated by Gen- 
eral Taylor, with 5,000 men, Feb. 23 . 1847 

Vera Cruz and castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, 

captured by General Scott, March 29 . 1847 

Rice introduced into the United States . 1695 

Louisiana settled by the French, at Iber- 
ville 1699 



27 

Cotton first cultivated in the United States, 

in South Carolina 1702 

Indians invade New England and destroy 

Haverhill 1708 

New Orleans founded by the French . . 17 17 
Baltimore founded in the United States . 1729 
Freemasons first established a Lodge in 

America at Boston 1733 

Lima destroyed by an earthquake . . . 1746 
Indigo first raised in the United States at 

Carolina 1747 

French war declared by Great Britain . . 1754 
Braddock's Expedition and defeat near 

Fort Du Quesne 1755 

Massacre of American wounded and pris- 
oners at Fort William Henry, by the 

French and Indians 1757 

Quebec, Niagara, Ticonderoga, and Crown 

Point taken by the British 1759 

Canada ceded to Great Britain by France 1763 
Stamp Act passed by the British Parlia- 
ment 1765 

Colonial Congress first met at New York . 1765 
Duties first imposed by Great Britain on 

tea, paper, and glass sent to the colonies 1767 
Lightning rods invented by Franklin . . 1770 

Tea destroyed at Boston 1773 

Continental Congress first met at Phila- 
delphia 1774 



28 



Revolutionary War commenced with Great 

Britain 1775 

Ticonderoga taken by Colonel Ethan Allen 1775 
Paper currency first established in the 

United States 1775 

Boston evacuated by British troops . . 1776 
New York City taken by British troops . 1776 
Declaration of Independence of the United 

States, July 4 1776 

Miss Jane McCrea murdered by Indians . 1777 
Confederation formed by the thirteen 

States 1777 

Washington retires with his army to winter 

quarters at Valley Forge 1777 

Cherry Valley atacked by the Indians . 1778 
Wyoming pillaged by Tories and Indians . 1778 
Treaty of alliance with France . . . . 1778 
Arnold's treason and death of Andre . . 1779 
Charleston captured by the British . . . 1780 
Siege of Savannah by the Americans, and 

death of Count Pulaski 1780 

Americans under Gen. Gates defeated at 

Camden, S. C. Baron de Kalb killed . 1780 
British and Tories defeated by the Ameri- 
cans at Ninety-six 1780 

Massacre of 300 American prisoners at 

Waxhaw, by Col. Tarleton 1780 

British army under Lord Cornwallis cap- 
tured by Gen. Washington, at Yorktown 1781 



2 9 

Peace concluded with Gt. Britain after 
the Revolution, and Independence 

acknowledged 1783 

New York City evacuated by British troops 1783 
First American voyage to China, from 

New York 1784 

Shay's insurrection in Massachusetts . . 1786 
Constitution of the United States adopted. 1788 
Congress under the Constitution first met 

in New York City 1789 

District of Columbia ceded to the United 

States by Maryland and Virginia . . 1790 
Circumnavigation first performed by a 

United States ship 1790 

Washington City founded 1791 

United States Bank instituted . . . . 1791 
United States Mint established by 

Congress 1792 

Insurrection in Pennsylvania on account 

of duties on distilled spirits .... 1794 
Treaty of commerce with Great Britain . 1794 
Seat of Government removed from Phila- 
delphia to Washington 1795 

Blacks in St. Domingo declare their inde- 
pendence 1797 

Hostilities commenced between France and 

the United States 1798 

Death of Washington, at the age of 67, 

Dec. 14 1799 



30 

Louisiana purchased of France by Pres. 

Jefferson 1803 

War between United States and Tripoli . 1803 
Alexander Hamilton killed in a duel by 

Aaron Burr 1804 

Middlesex Canal (first in the United 

States) completed 1804 

Lewis and Clarke's expedition over the 

Rocky Mountains 1806 

Aaron Burr tried for conspiracy .... 1807 
Steam first used to propel boats, by Fulton, 

American 1807 

Royal family of Portugal removed to Brazil 1807 
Slave-trade of United States abolished by 

law, January 1 1808 

American Board of Commissioners for For- 
eign Missions instituted 18 10 

Steamboats first navigated Mississippi and 

Ohio 1811 

Declaration of the last war against Eng- 
land, June 18 1812 

Constitution captured the Guerriere . . 18 12 

Jackson defeated the Indians at Tallapoosa 18 14 

Sortie of Fort Erie 1814 

Washington City, capitol, burned by British 18 14 
Peace made with Great Britain at Ghent, 

after the last war 

Jackson defeated the British at New 

Orleans, January 8 18 15 



3i 

American Bible Society founded . . . . 1816 

Chili declared independent . .... . . 1818 

Florida ceded to the United States by Spain 1819 
Steamer first crossed the Atlantic from 

Savannah, Ga 1819 

Independent Order of Odd Fellows first 
established a Lodge in America, at Bal- 
timore ; T. Wildey, N. G 1819 

University of Virginia founded by Jefferson 18 19 
Royal family of Portugal returned from 

Brazil 1820 

Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala declared 

independent 182 1 

Streets first lighted with gas in United 

States, at Baltimore 182 1 

Brazil erected into an independent empire 1823 
Erie Canal in New York finished . . .1825 



MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD, WITH THEIR 
HEIGHTS. 

Feet. 

Chimborazo ; Republic of Ecuador . . 21,400 
Chimborazo and Shiverazo, Shiverazo 

12 14 

and Shiver, Shiver and Winter . . WiNTeR 
Black Mountain the highest of the Blue 

Ridge, N. C 6,500 

6 5 

Black and Dungeon, Dungeon and Jail . JaiL 
y£tna, a volcano in Sicily 10,900 



32 

Antisana, a farm-house ; Republic of 

Ecuador 14,300 

Ararat, resting-place of Noah's Ark, 

Armenia 12,700 

Ben Nevis, highest in Great Britain, 

Scotland, 4,400 

Mt. Blanc, Switzerland 15,900 

Brown Mountain, highest of Rocky 

Mountains, N. A 16,000 

Cotopaxi, the highest volcano, Ecuador . 18,900 
Dhawalaghiri, one of the Himmaleh 

Mountains, Asia 26,500 

Geesh, highest in Africa i5>ioo 

Hecla, a volcano in Iceland 5>5°° 

Mt. Ida, in the island of Candia . - . 5,000 

Jorullo, volcano in Mexico 4,300 

Jungfrau, Alps, Switzerland 13,700 

Lebanon, Syria 10,000 

Mansfield, highest of the Green Moun- 
tains, Vermont 4,300 

Mt. Marcy, highest in New York . . . 5,300 

Olympus, Greece 6,600 

Ophir, Sumatra, East Indies 13,800 

Parnassus, the home of the Muses, Greece 6,000 

Peaks of Otter, Virginia 4,300 

Mt. Perdu, highest of the Pyrenees, 

France, 11,300 

Popocatapetl, highest in Mexico . . . 17,700 

Mt. Roa, highest in Oceanica, Hawaii . 17,500 



33 

Mt. Sinai, Arabia 8,200 

Sorata, highest in South America, Bolivia 25,400 

St. Bernard, Switzerland 8,000 

St. Elias, highest in North America . . 17,900 
Stromboli, volcano in the Mediterranean 

Sea 3j00o 

Peak of Teneriffe, one of the Canary Isles 12,000 

Vesuvius, volcano near Naples .... 3,900 
Mt. Washington, highest of the White 

Mountains 6,400 

HEIGHTS OF TOWERS, SPIRES, MONUMENTS, 
ETC. 

Feet. 

Bunker Hill Monument 240 

Leaning Tower of Pisa 190 

Milan Cathedral 260 

Mosque of St. Sophia, Constantinople . . 290 

Porcelain Tower at Nankin 228 

Pyramids of Egypt (the highest) . . % . . 520 

Salisbury spire 410 

Solomon's Temple 210 

St. Ivan's Tower, Moscow 300 

St. Paul's Church, London 370 

St. Peter's Church at Rome 518 

Strasburg Cathedral 474 

Temple of Belus, Babylon ....... 666 

Tower of Babel 680 

Trinity Church, New York 28^ 

Walls of Babylon 350 



34 



HEIGHTS OF WATERFALLS AND CASCADES. 

Feet. 

Cerosobi Cascade, Alps, Switzerland . 2,400 

Falls of the Arve, Savoy 1,100 

„ „ St. Anthony, Upper Mississippi . 60 

„ „ Terni, Near Rome 300 

Fyers, near Loch Ness, Scotland . . . 200 

Genesee Falls, Rochester, N. Y. ... 96 

Lauterbrunn, near Lake Thun, Switzerland 900 

Lidford Cascade, Devonshire, England . 100 

Missouri Falls, N. America 164 

Montmorency Falls, near Quebec . . . 250 

Natchikin Falls, Kamtchatka, N. America 300 

Niagara Falls 164 

Passaic Falls, New Jersey 71 

Trivoli Cascade, near Rome 90 

Waterfall Mountain Cascade, South Africa 85 






LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES OF PLACES 
FROM GREENWICH. 

Lat. Long. 

Albany, Capital of New York . . 43 N. 74 W. 

Boston 42 „ 71 „ 

Cincinnati 39 „ 84 „ 

Halifax 45 „ 64 „ 

Mexico (City) 20 „ 99 „ 

New York 41 „ 74 „ 

Panama 9 „ 79 „ 



35 



Washington, D. C 39 „ 

Berlin 53 „ 

Calcutta 23 „ 

Moscow 56 „ 

Paris 49 » 

Pekin 40 „ 

Sydney 34 S. 



77 


» 


13 


E. 


88 


>> 


36 


» 


2 


55 


116 


j> 


^ 


55 



ASTRONOMICAL STATISTICS. 

Example. — Mercury is 36,000,000 miles from 
the sun. 

3 6 

Mercury — Merchant, Merchant — Homage. 

The millions will be understood, as none of the 
distances are less than millions and only one any 
greater distance. 

Miles. 

Venus 67,00,0000 

Earth 94,000,000 

Mars 142,000,000 

Vesta 222,000,000 

Juno 249,000,000 

Ceres 259,000,000 

Pallas 250,000,000 

Jupiter 487,000,000 

Saturn 894,000,000 

Herschel 1,797,000,000 






36 



THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. 

i. The Pyramids of Egypt. 

2. The Pharos of Alexandria. 

3. The Walls and Hanging Gardens of Babylon. 

4. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus. 

5. The Statue of the Olympian Jupiter. 

6. The Mausoleum. 

7. The Colossus of Rhodes. 



LENGTH OF THE PRINCIPAL RIVERS. 

Miles. 

Amazon, South America 4,000 

Amour, Tartary . 2,500 

Arkansas, Arkansas 2,100 

Burrampooter, India 2,000 

Danube, Austria 1,800 

Ganges, British India 1,900 

Hoang Ho, China 3, 100 

Irrawaddy, Burman Empire 1,900 

Kansas, United States 1,400 

Kianku, China 3>2oo 

La Platte, South America 2,700 

Mackenzie, United States 2,800 

Missouri and Mississippi 4,300 

Niger, Africa 2,400 

Nile, Egypt 3,200 

Oby and Irtish, Siberia 2,900 






37 

Ohio 1,400 

Orinoco, Guiana 1,600 

Para and Araguay, Brazil 1,600 

Red River 2,100 



The Remembrance of Books, Sermons, Lec- 
tures, Addresses, Orations, etc. 
Speaking Without Notes. 

As many are desirous of applying the 
system to the above, I call your attention to 
the following general rules for their guidance, 
assuring them that the pleasure and advan- 
tage that will attend the ability to bring 
away in the mind with certainty the main 
ideas of a sermon or lecture upon hearing it, 
will amply repay the trouble taken. 

Select the different heads, and associate 
them together. Or each head may be asso- 
ciated with the prompters in their order. 

The leading ideas must be selected, and 
the associations must be made with prompti- 
tude ; the framework of the subject will 
then be committed to memory, and will 
simply have to be clothed in the necessary 
language. This is applicable to the remem- 



38 

brance of a book. In order to remember a 
subject correctly, it is absolutely necessary 
that the pupil's mind should be perfectly 
composed, so that it can be fully concentrated 
on it. 

It is also essential not to allow the atten- 
tion to wander into any soliloquies or 
reflections on the various topics, as the whole 
time is needed for seizing the striking ideas, 
and noting the others that depend on them. 
Contemplation of the subject must be left 
till afterwards. 

Should success not attend the first, or 
even second effort, do not despair, but 
remember the time-worn quotation, " Practice 
makes perfect." 



PROSE, POETRY, ETC. 

Learners are often heard to say, " Really, 
my memory is very bad. I wish I could find 
some easy way to learn prose and poetry." 
We must remember one thing. There is no 
royal road to learning ! Memory depends, 
to a certain extent, on attention and repeti- 
tion. Our readers will not accomplish any- 



39 

thing by the use of my memory aids, unless 
the student is determined to learn. The 
more the Mnemonic rules are applied, the 
easier they will be found. The following 
piece of composition has been selected for 
an example of the practical use which the 
system possesses. 



MACAULAY'S ARMADA. 

i— Attend, all ye who list to hear our noble 

England's praise ; 
2—1 tell of the thrice famous deeds she 

wrought in ancient days, 
3_When that great fleet invincible against 

her bore in vain, 
4— The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest 

hearts of Spain. 

We must associate the most prominent idea 
contained in each line with the next idea, and 
so on to the end of the piece of composition. 

Attend and Hear. Hear and Noble Eng- 
land's Praise. Noble England's Praise and 
Famous Deeds. Famous Deeds and She 
Wrought in Ancient Days. Ancient Days 



40 

and Great Fleet. Great Fleet and Invinci- 
ble. Invincible and Richest Spoils of 
Mexico. Mexico and Stoutest Hearts of 
Spain must be associated together in the follow- 
ing manner. 

" Attend " and " Hear," By " Attending " 
we "Hear." (Making questions out of the 
lines will be found of great assistance.) 
Hear and England's Praise. "Hear" what? 
Why, hear of " Noble England's Praise." 
Noble England's Praise and " Famous 
Deeds." England has performed " Famous 
Deeds." "Famous Deeds" and "Ancient 
Days." What " Famous Deeds" ? Answer, 
The Deeds " She wrought in Ancient Days." 
"Ancient Days" and "Great Fleet." In 
"Ancient Days" "Great Fleets" were 
scarce. "Great Fleet" and "Invincible." 
What kind of a " Great Fleet " ? Answer, 
A "Great Fleet" "Invincible." "Invin- 
cible " and " Richest Spoils of Mexico." The 
" Richest Spoils of Mexico " are " Invin- 
cible." " Richest Spoils of Mexico " and 
the "Stoutest Hearts of Spain." The 
" Mexican " Spaniards have a heart as stout 
as the "Stoutest Hearts of Spain." 

I think I have made this plain enough to 



4i 

show the pupil the idea. The following is 
another way : — 

Associate the most prominent idea in each 
line with the corresponding prompter. (As — 
Hill and Attend, Honey and Famous Deeds). 
In this manner you will be able to mention 
any line as the number is called. But as 
this is of no particular advantage, and as it is 
a little more difficult and not so natural, I 
should advise pupils to use the former. 



42 



AMUSEMENT. 



The following feats are appropriate for 
evening entertainments, fairs, etc. : — 

Remembrance of a long list of words or 
figures. 

Call a gentleman or lady from the audience 
to step upon the platform and write forty or 
fifty words, dictated by the audience, num- 
bering each word in their order. Associate 
the first word with the first prompter, Hill ; 
and the second with the second prompter, 
Honey, and so on. One hundred words or 
more may be easily remembered in this 
manner. 

Buy twelve clock faces or dials and tack 
them up in a convenient place, numbering 
them from one to twelve. Let a person place 
them at different times. Twenty minutes 
past nine must be read 9.20. Make a word 
that will express the three figures, and asso- 
ciate it with the prompter that corresponds 
with the number of the clock. If the time 
has four figures, two words may be made. 



43 



FIGURES. 

Write figures on the blackboard, dictated 
by the audience, taking care to place nine 
figures horizontally across the board. Four 
lines or thirty-six figures are generally 
enough to conveniently fill a blackboard of 
ordinary size. Translate every three figures 
into a word, and associate with the prompters. 

740, 014, 941. 
no, 484, 310. 
594; 250, 100. 
742, 940, 521. 

Hat and 740 — Cress. A Hat, the color of 
Cress. Honey and 014 — Store. Honey may 
be bought in a Store. Home and 941 — 
Abroad. Leaving home to go Abroad. Hero 
and no — Deeds. A Hero is noted for his 
good Deeds. Hill and 484 — River. A Hill 
is the rising point of a River. Hash and 310 — 
Meats. A Hash is a combination of all Meats. 



CALENDAR FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS, 

BY WHICH ANYONE CAN INSTANTANEOUSLY ASCERTAIN THE DAY OF THE 
WEEK UPON WHICH ANY GIVEN DATE OCCURS. 



1 
JUNE. 

1-8-15-22-29 


2 


3 l| 

AUGUST. 1 

PS" 

3-10-17-24-31 If 

c 


FEBRUARY. 

Except in 1828-56 & 84 


MARCH. 
NOVEMBER. 

2-9-16-23-30 


4 

MAY. 

4-11-18-25 


5 


APRIL. Ig 

JULY. ?s 

6-13-20-27 1| 

*1 


JANUARY. 

Except in 1828-56 & 84 


OCTOBER. 

5-12-19-26 


STANDARD YEARS. 


7 

SEPTEMBER. 
DECEMBER. 

7-14-21-28 


LEAP YEARS. 


1800—34—73 

6—45—79 

17—51 

23—56-84 

28—62—90 


1804-28-52-76 
8-32-56-80 
12-36-60-84 
16-40-64-88 
20-44-68-92 
24-48-72-96 



EXPLANATION OF THE CHART OF SUNDAYS. 

In the Calendar Chart are 7 Squares, in which the 12 months are 
arranged, under the dates of the days of the month on which the first 
Sundays occur in the following years, viz : 

I800-6-17-23-28-S445.51-56-62.73.79.84 & 90 

and are termed and referred to as Standard Years. Exceptions. — The 
years 1828-56 and 84 (multiple of 28), being Leap, as well as Standard 
Years, the first Sunday in January falls on January 6, and the first Sun- 
day in February falls on February 3, all the other months remaining 
unaltered. 

RULES TO BE OBSERVED. 

To ascertain the day of the week upon which any given date occurs in 

the present Century. 

1st. Subtract from the given year the nearest Standard year; call 
the remainder (if an v) days; add these (together with as many days as 
there are Leap years between the given and the Standard years) to the 
number of the day required. Refer this number mentally to the Chart 
of Sundays, and from this ascertain the day of the week. 

44 



45 



KXAMPLBS 



June 8, 1845. — As 1845 is a standard 
year, there will be nothing to subtract. 
June is in the first square, therefore the 
first Sunday falls on the 1st. The second 
Sunday falls on seven days after the first, 
or the 8th; so June 8, 1845, feHs on a 
Sunday. 

March 20, 1836.— The nearest standard 
year to 1836 is 1834. 34 from 36 leaves 2 
to be added to March 20, making it March 

22. March is in the second square, and 
the first Sunday falls on the 2d — 2, 9, 16, 

23. If the 23d is Sunday, the 22d is one 
day before, or Saturday ; so March 20, 
1836, falls on Saturday. 



4-6 

THE ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS. -THE MAIN- 
SPRING OF MEMORY. 

Association of ideas is very strong. We 
are often able to recollect people perhaps 
by something they very frequently say, or 
upon entering a place where you have spent 
many pleasant hours with them. If you 
are in a strange place, and happen to take 
notice of a store, house, or any object, you 
will soon be able to find your way round 
and make yourself familiar with the place. 
Rhyming is a great aid. It can be used 
in scientific terms, definitions, and proper 
names. Associations of sound are the 
strongest associations in language. Names 
can be remembered by making phrases 
or words that sound like them. When 
the name is required the phrase will 
immediately come up and suggest the name. 
Mr. Horsely sounds like horse. Mr. Horsely 
may be a strong, powerful man, and upon 
thinking of horse Mr. Horsely will be at 
once suggested. The following is another 



47 

method. I know a gentleman whose name 
is Coldbaugh, and is connected with a bank. 
The valuables in a bank are kept behind a 
Cold — Bar. He also has his place of busi- 
ness on Water St. Cold — Water will 
also give his address. 



If, by any reason, I have not fulfilled the 
wants of all in this little book, instructions 
in any particular point will be sent upon the 
receipt of twenty-five cents. 

G. FREDERIC LESTER, 

Boston, Mass. 



